In those last fleeting moments before death consumed Jan, her fading mind
traveled back to her own undoing. Her greatest folly had proven to be the
pushing of those who simply should not be pushed. Yet, Jan had refused to
back away when the signs of underlying anger became frightfully clear.
The echoing words of her many foes filled her mind as the light faded from the room. Even in death, Jan knew that she would be unable to forget the vengefulness that had repeatedly been directed at her.
And, at the top of the list was her first love, Jason Masters. She could hear so many of his cruel words taunt her in her final moments. If you don't keep your mouth shut, you'll be sorry . . . Just know that there will be consequences if you open your mouth to anyone . . .
Then, there had been Philip and his own brand of anger and torment. But, I'm warning you right now, Jan, don't double cross me. I am my father's son, and I won't hesitate to prove it. . . . I warned you, Jan. Even you know better than to cross a Kiriakis . . .You screwed us over for the last time, Jan. It's payback time . . .
Even the nerd from high school had harbored a deep rooted hatred for Jan. Fine, I'll leave. But, I will be back, Jan. And, when I return, I won't be so easily dissuaded from staying . . . Well, by my calculations, you won't have time to make anyone suffer, you'll already be dead . . . Fine, I'll leave. But, if I were you, I'd sleep with one eye open - if I slept at all.
The life fading from her body, Jan finally began to regret her thoughtless and cruel actions . . . but, only because she realized that her dastardly deeds had been the cause of her imminent death. It seemed that so many people had voiced a hatred for Jan, and so many more had plotted in silence. The life leaving her body, Jan understood that it had only been a matter of time before one of her victims made her a victim.
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Hours later dawn began to cast itself upon the vindictive city. Having been awake all night, Jason Masters rubbed his tired eyes and sipped a cup of coffee as he watched the sunrise out his bedroom window.
Never had Jason felt so entirely drained of life. His eyes focused blindly on a pigeon that perched itself on the window ledge. And, though Jason was staring directly at the winged creature, he did not truly see it. All he saw was a lifeless body and dark curls resting on a carpeted floor.
When he and Chloe had left the hotel, Jason had firmly believed that he wanted nothing more than to see Jan Spears dead. However, as the image of her murdered body filled his mind, Jason wondered if he might have been wrong.
**FLASHBACK**
Like a pair of sleek cats gliding unseen through a dark alley, Jason and Chloe slipped into the home of Jan Spears. With silent footsteps, the couple slowly made their way across the kitchen and toward the narrow hallway that led to the living room and front staircase.
As he followed Chloe on her mission to find Jan, Jason wondered how his life had reached the point of causing another human being more pain and suffering than imaginable. How could he have taken a turn so wrong that it would lead him to such an extreme situation?
The original goal of Jason and Chloe was not too kill Jan. They merely wanted to end the life she knew and make her almost crave death. It was time for Jan to finally receive her comeuppance.
Drifting down the dark hallway, Chloe whispered, "Something's not right . . . I can feel it."
Jason continued to follow Chloe but found himself greatly bothered by what his partner had said. The more he allowed himself to really become a part of the situation, the more Jason also realized that something was amiss. He wasn't quite sure what was wrong, but something was causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on their own.
Suddenly, Jason reached out and tightly gripped Chloe's upper arm. Pulling the brunette close to him, Jason hissed, "You're right, something is wrong. It's not just dark in here. It's too dark. No lamps, no night lights, no anything. Not many people know it, but Jan can't deal with total darkness. She has to have some source of light . . . and, there isn't any."
Chloe's heart began to beat much faster as she thought about what Jason said. Jan's car had been parked outside, so the villainess had to be home. Yet, if she was there, why would she purposely make herself uncomfortable by casting the house in complete darkness?
Carefully turning on her flashlight, Chloe took a deep breath before beginning to move away from Jason. Yet, in a rare moment of gallantry, Jason gently kept hold of Chloe's arm until he had stepped in front of her. Taking the flashlight from her hand, he whispered, "Follow me."
Even in such a distressing moment, Chloe couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at what she considered to be Jason's macho attitude.
When he reached the end of the hallway and found himself entering the spacious living room, Jason slowly shined the beam around the room. Satisfied that no one was standing in the living area, Jason began to cross the room. Following right behind him was Chloe.
Reaching the edge of the sofa, Jason kept his back to it and Chloe while using the flashlight to illuminate the opposite wall. While Jason did so, Chloe casually glanced around the dark living room.
Her sight falling on a figure on the floor with a head full of curls, Chloe breathlessly backed up and bumped into Jason.
Turning to tell Chloe to be more careful, Jason's words died on his lips when he realized that something had obviously grabbed the diva's full attention. Shining the flashlight to where Chloe was staring in horror, Jason discovered himself looking at the bloody body of Jan herself.
Choking out the only words that came to her mind, Chloe whispered, "Looks like we weren't the only ones with a score to settle tonight."
**END FLASHBACK**
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Stepping out onto the familiar balcony, Mimi took a deep breath and reveled in the cool breeze that dominated the early morning. Across the horizon, she could glimpse the sun rising behind the taller city buildings and gray clouds.
She had hardly slept at all, and her body felt more exhausted than it ever had. Mimi felt as if the weight of the world was upon her shoulders and wished that she had someone to help her with the burden.
Her tired eyes drifting shut, Mimi began to recall the night she had survived but would never forget.
**FLASHBACK**
Having left her car parked two blocks away, Mimi approached the dark home of her worst enemy. Periodically, the moon's light would escape the dark clouds and cast an eery glow upon the world below.
Mimi carefully walked to the side of the house and kept herself hidden by the shrubbery that surrounded the brick home. Following the line of immaculate shrubs, Mimi neared the back door of the home. Just as she was about to step away from the safety the green bushes provided, Mimi's heart practically stopped as her breath caught in her throat.
Crouching down as close to the ground as possible, Mimi had to use all her strength to keep her nervous body from shaking. Coming out the door she had been preparing to enter were two darkly clothed figures.
From where she was located, Mimi couldn't quite see their faces, but it was obvious even in the dark that the duo consisted of a man and a woman.
Mimi then heard the man tell his companion in a low whisper that they should split up and just forget that the night had ever happened. With increased curiosity, Mimi saw the woman give a faint nod and walk in the opposite direction.
After a few seconds of hesitation, the man turned to walk away in the reverse direction of his companion. That was when Mimi saw his face and felt the blood drain from her own. Slipping away in the dark of the night was Jason Masters.
Mimi wasn't quite certain who Jason had been with or what they had done, but she got the feeling it couldn't be good. Deciding that she no longer wanted to confront Jan about her past treacheries, Mimi moved along side the house.
As she reached the living room window, Mimi heard a car coming down the street and instinctively ducked down below the top of the hedges.
Keeping herself hidden from the passing car, Mimi casually turned and glanced in the window as the moon escaped the clouds once more. As the unusually bright moonlight shined through the large window, Mimi caught a glimpse of something she could never forget.
On the floor near the edge of the sofa, Mimi clearly saw Jan's distinct dark curly hair. Through the darkness, Mimi couldn't make out much more, but she seriously doubted that Jan had simply laid down on the floor to take a nap.
The words she had heard Jason speak began to echo in her mind, and Mimi immediately feared the worst. Though she could only get a glimpse of Jan's head due to the position of the couch, it didn't appear that the cruel young woman was in good health - if she was even alive. To Mimi it was obvious that only one thing could have happened. Jason and his female accomplice had murdered Jan.
Wanting to get as far away from the house as fast as she could, Mimi found herself in a state that didn't require caution or logical thought. Without even thinking about her actions, she began to hurriedly back away from the window and what it had revealed.
As the clouds covered the moon once more, Mimi felt herself back into someone. The scream she instinctively wanted to give was stopped by a strong hand quickly clasping her mouth. The man wrapped his free arm around Mimi and pulled her to him.
In a whisper, the man stated, "Don't scream, Mimi. Don't you dare scream."
Her body freezing, Mimi felt the scream die before ever reaching the air. When the man released his grip on her, Mimi turned to face him and fearfully asked, "What are you doing here, Brady?"
"I have a better question. What are you doing here?"
"Nothing," Mimi quickly breathed.
Sensing just how upset Mimi was, Brady said, "Why don't you just go on home and forget that you ever even saw me here. As soon as Jan and I take care of a few things, I'll be home, too."
Grabbing Brady's arm as he began to walk away, Mimi whispered, "No! Don't go into that house."
Brady carefully observed Mimi and her apparent agitation. His voice sounding almost reassuring, Brady softly asked, "Mimi, what happened? Why can't I go into the house?"
"We have to go, Brady. We have to go now. Jan's dead. I don't know how or why, but I saw her body on the floor. We have to get out of here before the cops show up."
Brady merely nodded and guided Mimi in the direction of his car two streets over. He would send an employee to come after his wife's car later. At the moment, he was too concerned with making certain that he and Mimi were both back at the penthouse before the police arrived on the scene to investigate the murder.
**END FLASHBACK**
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Philip tried to force his tired eyes to focus on the business section of the newspaper, but he found it to be a very difficult task. Sleep had pervaded him for most of the night, partly because of Jan Spears and partly because he had slept on the couch so he wouldn't wake Belle when he finally came home.
Knowing that it was pointless to try concentrating on financial figures when his mind was elsewhere, Philip threw the newspaper onto the coffee table. He released a deep sigh as he slouched down just a little and dropped his head back against the soft couch.
His eyes invariably drifting shut, Philip's mind wandered back to the previous night.
**FLASHBACK**
Forgoing the inconvenience of knocking, Philip merely barged into the home of Jan Spears. The darkhaired beauty showed immediate displeasure with Philip's hasty and crude entrance.
Glaring at her uninvited guest, Jan stayed seated on the couch as she snidely asked, "Ever hear of knocking?"
Philip completely ignored Jan's comment as he stalked across the room and brazenly announced, "You screwed us over for the last time, Jan. It's payback time."
Only feeling the most insignificant amount of apprehension, Jan rolled her eyes at Philip's dramatics and replied, "Why don't you just scurry on along, Philly? You're too much of a spineless loser to ever really do anything."
"You're wrong, Jan. You've finally pushed me too far, and now you have to suffer."
The smug smile dropped from Jan's face as she tried to estimate just how serious Philip was. Over the years, she had learned that quite often Philip Kiriakis did little more than bluff. Looking at him as he hovered over her, Jan hoped that he was only bluffing once again.
Rising to her feet, Jan brushed past Philip and threw the magazine she had been reading down on a nearby stand. "Look, Philip, it's late and I want to go to bed. Would you please leave . . . now?"
"No, actually, I won't be leaving quite yet."
Nervously crossing her arms over her chest, Jan slowly questioned, "Why are you really here?"
"I told you. It's time for you to finally get what you deserve."
It was at that precise moment that Jan looked past the exterior of the Philip she had always known and saw what lurked deep inside those tempting eyes that only he could possess. Hidden below the classic boyish good looks was something that Jan had seen years before - in the eyes of Victor Kiriakis. It was an unearthly determination to protect his family. It was a determination that frightened Jan.
Attempting to stay calm, Jan responded, "Philip, I'm not joking. I want you to leave, okay? Just go home to Belle and the rugrat."
"Yeah, but just how long will I have a wife and daughter to go home to if I don't take care of you and your big mouth, huh?"
"Philip, I swear that I won't tell your precious Belle anything. You have my word."
Laughing mirthlessly, Philip replied, "And, we both know how much your word means, right? You're a born liar, Jan. You swore to me that you'd take care of Shawn and make sure things worked out for Chloe and Brady. And, of course, we both know how that ended."
Becoming increasingly nervous, Jan began, "But, Philip . . ."
"No!" Philip yelled. "I'm sick of your excuses and lies. It's time to end it . . . and, I know just how."
Philip had taken only one or two steps toward Jan when the shrill ringing of his cellular phone filled the living room. Pulling the compact object from his coat pocket, Philip pressed a button and brought the device to his ear. In a growl, he demanded, "What?"
While attempting to control both her heartbeat and breathing, Jan listened as Philip was apparently told of some type of emergency at the hotel he owned. Though she was unable to get all the details from merely listening to Philip's side of the conversation, Jan gathered that his presence was required immediately.
Finishing his conversation, Philip slipped the phone back into his pocket and said, "Well, it seems that I'm going to have to leave a little early."
"Darn, what a shame," Jan softly commented with subdued sarcasm.
Showcasing his gorgeous dimples, Philip smiled and vowed, "Don't worry, Jan. I'll be back - when you least expect it, and you will pay. I promise."
**END FLASHBACK**
Forcing some semblance of a smile onto her face, Belle walked down the stairs and approached her husband as he sat on the sofa lost in his own memories. Unable to miss the pained expression on Philip's face, Belle silently wondered just what thought had stolen the light from him.
Determined to at least pretend that all was well, Belle did what she always did. She forced away her fears, suspicions, and concerns and pasted that false smile on her face just as she had done for such a great part of her life. No matter what was happening, Belle had to make sure that she was everyone's own personal sunshine. It was her duty to make others hope that things just might be okay.
Sitting down beside Philip on the couch, Belle casually brushed away the annoying strands of hair that always fell at the corner of his eye.
Pulling his wife close to him, Philip placed a gently kiss on her temple and felt himself relax just a little by having her so close to him. Philip kept his arms tightly wrapped around Belle's petite body as he said, "I love you so much. You know that I would do anything for you, right? I mean it, Belle, I would do whatever it took to make sure that you and Katrina were safe and happy."
Belle rested her head on Philip's chest and replied with teary eyes, "I know that, Philip. Growing up, that's the one thing my father would never let me forget. Family is everything. And, I would do anything to protect my family, too. Anything."
And, she had - by killing Jan Spears.
The echoing words of her many foes filled her mind as the light faded from the room. Even in death, Jan knew that she would be unable to forget the vengefulness that had repeatedly been directed at her.
And, at the top of the list was her first love, Jason Masters. She could hear so many of his cruel words taunt her in her final moments. If you don't keep your mouth shut, you'll be sorry . . . Just know that there will be consequences if you open your mouth to anyone . . .
Then, there had been Philip and his own brand of anger and torment. But, I'm warning you right now, Jan, don't double cross me. I am my father's son, and I won't hesitate to prove it. . . . I warned you, Jan. Even you know better than to cross a Kiriakis . . .You screwed us over for the last time, Jan. It's payback time . . .
Even the nerd from high school had harbored a deep rooted hatred for Jan. Fine, I'll leave. But, I will be back, Jan. And, when I return, I won't be so easily dissuaded from staying . . . Well, by my calculations, you won't have time to make anyone suffer, you'll already be dead . . . Fine, I'll leave. But, if I were you, I'd sleep with one eye open - if I slept at all.
The life fading from her body, Jan finally began to regret her thoughtless and cruel actions . . . but, only because she realized that her dastardly deeds had been the cause of her imminent death. It seemed that so many people had voiced a hatred for Jan, and so many more had plotted in silence. The life leaving her body, Jan understood that it had only been a matter of time before one of her victims made her a victim.
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Hours later dawn began to cast itself upon the vindictive city. Having been awake all night, Jason Masters rubbed his tired eyes and sipped a cup of coffee as he watched the sunrise out his bedroom window.
Never had Jason felt so entirely drained of life. His eyes focused blindly on a pigeon that perched itself on the window ledge. And, though Jason was staring directly at the winged creature, he did not truly see it. All he saw was a lifeless body and dark curls resting on a carpeted floor.
When he and Chloe had left the hotel, Jason had firmly believed that he wanted nothing more than to see Jan Spears dead. However, as the image of her murdered body filled his mind, Jason wondered if he might have been wrong.
**FLASHBACK**
Like a pair of sleek cats gliding unseen through a dark alley, Jason and Chloe slipped into the home of Jan Spears. With silent footsteps, the couple slowly made their way across the kitchen and toward the narrow hallway that led to the living room and front staircase.
As he followed Chloe on her mission to find Jan, Jason wondered how his life had reached the point of causing another human being more pain and suffering than imaginable. How could he have taken a turn so wrong that it would lead him to such an extreme situation?
The original goal of Jason and Chloe was not too kill Jan. They merely wanted to end the life she knew and make her almost crave death. It was time for Jan to finally receive her comeuppance.
Drifting down the dark hallway, Chloe whispered, "Something's not right . . . I can feel it."
Jason continued to follow Chloe but found himself greatly bothered by what his partner had said. The more he allowed himself to really become a part of the situation, the more Jason also realized that something was amiss. He wasn't quite sure what was wrong, but something was causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on their own.
Suddenly, Jason reached out and tightly gripped Chloe's upper arm. Pulling the brunette close to him, Jason hissed, "You're right, something is wrong. It's not just dark in here. It's too dark. No lamps, no night lights, no anything. Not many people know it, but Jan can't deal with total darkness. She has to have some source of light . . . and, there isn't any."
Chloe's heart began to beat much faster as she thought about what Jason said. Jan's car had been parked outside, so the villainess had to be home. Yet, if she was there, why would she purposely make herself uncomfortable by casting the house in complete darkness?
Carefully turning on her flashlight, Chloe took a deep breath before beginning to move away from Jason. Yet, in a rare moment of gallantry, Jason gently kept hold of Chloe's arm until he had stepped in front of her. Taking the flashlight from her hand, he whispered, "Follow me."
Even in such a distressing moment, Chloe couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at what she considered to be Jason's macho attitude.
When he reached the end of the hallway and found himself entering the spacious living room, Jason slowly shined the beam around the room. Satisfied that no one was standing in the living area, Jason began to cross the room. Following right behind him was Chloe.
Reaching the edge of the sofa, Jason kept his back to it and Chloe while using the flashlight to illuminate the opposite wall. While Jason did so, Chloe casually glanced around the dark living room.
Her sight falling on a figure on the floor with a head full of curls, Chloe breathlessly backed up and bumped into Jason.
Turning to tell Chloe to be more careful, Jason's words died on his lips when he realized that something had obviously grabbed the diva's full attention. Shining the flashlight to where Chloe was staring in horror, Jason discovered himself looking at the bloody body of Jan herself.
Choking out the only words that came to her mind, Chloe whispered, "Looks like we weren't the only ones with a score to settle tonight."
**END FLASHBACK**
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Stepping out onto the familiar balcony, Mimi took a deep breath and reveled in the cool breeze that dominated the early morning. Across the horizon, she could glimpse the sun rising behind the taller city buildings and gray clouds.
She had hardly slept at all, and her body felt more exhausted than it ever had. Mimi felt as if the weight of the world was upon her shoulders and wished that she had someone to help her with the burden.
Her tired eyes drifting shut, Mimi began to recall the night she had survived but would never forget.
**FLASHBACK**
Having left her car parked two blocks away, Mimi approached the dark home of her worst enemy. Periodically, the moon's light would escape the dark clouds and cast an eery glow upon the world below.
Mimi carefully walked to the side of the house and kept herself hidden by the shrubbery that surrounded the brick home. Following the line of immaculate shrubs, Mimi neared the back door of the home. Just as she was about to step away from the safety the green bushes provided, Mimi's heart practically stopped as her breath caught in her throat.
Crouching down as close to the ground as possible, Mimi had to use all her strength to keep her nervous body from shaking. Coming out the door she had been preparing to enter were two darkly clothed figures.
From where she was located, Mimi couldn't quite see their faces, but it was obvious even in the dark that the duo consisted of a man and a woman.
Mimi then heard the man tell his companion in a low whisper that they should split up and just forget that the night had ever happened. With increased curiosity, Mimi saw the woman give a faint nod and walk in the opposite direction.
After a few seconds of hesitation, the man turned to walk away in the reverse direction of his companion. That was when Mimi saw his face and felt the blood drain from her own. Slipping away in the dark of the night was Jason Masters.
Mimi wasn't quite certain who Jason had been with or what they had done, but she got the feeling it couldn't be good. Deciding that she no longer wanted to confront Jan about her past treacheries, Mimi moved along side the house.
As she reached the living room window, Mimi heard a car coming down the street and instinctively ducked down below the top of the hedges.
Keeping herself hidden from the passing car, Mimi casually turned and glanced in the window as the moon escaped the clouds once more. As the unusually bright moonlight shined through the large window, Mimi caught a glimpse of something she could never forget.
On the floor near the edge of the sofa, Mimi clearly saw Jan's distinct dark curly hair. Through the darkness, Mimi couldn't make out much more, but she seriously doubted that Jan had simply laid down on the floor to take a nap.
The words she had heard Jason speak began to echo in her mind, and Mimi immediately feared the worst. Though she could only get a glimpse of Jan's head due to the position of the couch, it didn't appear that the cruel young woman was in good health - if she was even alive. To Mimi it was obvious that only one thing could have happened. Jason and his female accomplice had murdered Jan.
Wanting to get as far away from the house as fast as she could, Mimi found herself in a state that didn't require caution or logical thought. Without even thinking about her actions, she began to hurriedly back away from the window and what it had revealed.
As the clouds covered the moon once more, Mimi felt herself back into someone. The scream she instinctively wanted to give was stopped by a strong hand quickly clasping her mouth. The man wrapped his free arm around Mimi and pulled her to him.
In a whisper, the man stated, "Don't scream, Mimi. Don't you dare scream."
Her body freezing, Mimi felt the scream die before ever reaching the air. When the man released his grip on her, Mimi turned to face him and fearfully asked, "What are you doing here, Brady?"
"I have a better question. What are you doing here?"
"Nothing," Mimi quickly breathed.
Sensing just how upset Mimi was, Brady said, "Why don't you just go on home and forget that you ever even saw me here. As soon as Jan and I take care of a few things, I'll be home, too."
Grabbing Brady's arm as he began to walk away, Mimi whispered, "No! Don't go into that house."
Brady carefully observed Mimi and her apparent agitation. His voice sounding almost reassuring, Brady softly asked, "Mimi, what happened? Why can't I go into the house?"
"We have to go, Brady. We have to go now. Jan's dead. I don't know how or why, but I saw her body on the floor. We have to get out of here before the cops show up."
Brady merely nodded and guided Mimi in the direction of his car two streets over. He would send an employee to come after his wife's car later. At the moment, he was too concerned with making certain that he and Mimi were both back at the penthouse before the police arrived on the scene to investigate the murder.
**END FLASHBACK**
~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~
Philip tried to force his tired eyes to focus on the business section of the newspaper, but he found it to be a very difficult task. Sleep had pervaded him for most of the night, partly because of Jan Spears and partly because he had slept on the couch so he wouldn't wake Belle when he finally came home.
Knowing that it was pointless to try concentrating on financial figures when his mind was elsewhere, Philip threw the newspaper onto the coffee table. He released a deep sigh as he slouched down just a little and dropped his head back against the soft couch.
His eyes invariably drifting shut, Philip's mind wandered back to the previous night.
**FLASHBACK**
Forgoing the inconvenience of knocking, Philip merely barged into the home of Jan Spears. The darkhaired beauty showed immediate displeasure with Philip's hasty and crude entrance.
Glaring at her uninvited guest, Jan stayed seated on the couch as she snidely asked, "Ever hear of knocking?"
Philip completely ignored Jan's comment as he stalked across the room and brazenly announced, "You screwed us over for the last time, Jan. It's payback time."
Only feeling the most insignificant amount of apprehension, Jan rolled her eyes at Philip's dramatics and replied, "Why don't you just scurry on along, Philly? You're too much of a spineless loser to ever really do anything."
"You're wrong, Jan. You've finally pushed me too far, and now you have to suffer."
The smug smile dropped from Jan's face as she tried to estimate just how serious Philip was. Over the years, she had learned that quite often Philip Kiriakis did little more than bluff. Looking at him as he hovered over her, Jan hoped that he was only bluffing once again.
Rising to her feet, Jan brushed past Philip and threw the magazine she had been reading down on a nearby stand. "Look, Philip, it's late and I want to go to bed. Would you please leave . . . now?"
"No, actually, I won't be leaving quite yet."
Nervously crossing her arms over her chest, Jan slowly questioned, "Why are you really here?"
"I told you. It's time for you to finally get what you deserve."
It was at that precise moment that Jan looked past the exterior of the Philip she had always known and saw what lurked deep inside those tempting eyes that only he could possess. Hidden below the classic boyish good looks was something that Jan had seen years before - in the eyes of Victor Kiriakis. It was an unearthly determination to protect his family. It was a determination that frightened Jan.
Attempting to stay calm, Jan responded, "Philip, I'm not joking. I want you to leave, okay? Just go home to Belle and the rugrat."
"Yeah, but just how long will I have a wife and daughter to go home to if I don't take care of you and your big mouth, huh?"
"Philip, I swear that I won't tell your precious Belle anything. You have my word."
Laughing mirthlessly, Philip replied, "And, we both know how much your word means, right? You're a born liar, Jan. You swore to me that you'd take care of Shawn and make sure things worked out for Chloe and Brady. And, of course, we both know how that ended."
Becoming increasingly nervous, Jan began, "But, Philip . . ."
"No!" Philip yelled. "I'm sick of your excuses and lies. It's time to end it . . . and, I know just how."
Philip had taken only one or two steps toward Jan when the shrill ringing of his cellular phone filled the living room. Pulling the compact object from his coat pocket, Philip pressed a button and brought the device to his ear. In a growl, he demanded, "What?"
While attempting to control both her heartbeat and breathing, Jan listened as Philip was apparently told of some type of emergency at the hotel he owned. Though she was unable to get all the details from merely listening to Philip's side of the conversation, Jan gathered that his presence was required immediately.
Finishing his conversation, Philip slipped the phone back into his pocket and said, "Well, it seems that I'm going to have to leave a little early."
"Darn, what a shame," Jan softly commented with subdued sarcasm.
Showcasing his gorgeous dimples, Philip smiled and vowed, "Don't worry, Jan. I'll be back - when you least expect it, and you will pay. I promise."
**END FLASHBACK**
Forcing some semblance of a smile onto her face, Belle walked down the stairs and approached her husband as he sat on the sofa lost in his own memories. Unable to miss the pained expression on Philip's face, Belle silently wondered just what thought had stolen the light from him.
Determined to at least pretend that all was well, Belle did what she always did. She forced away her fears, suspicions, and concerns and pasted that false smile on her face just as she had done for such a great part of her life. No matter what was happening, Belle had to make sure that she was everyone's own personal sunshine. It was her duty to make others hope that things just might be okay.
Sitting down beside Philip on the couch, Belle casually brushed away the annoying strands of hair that always fell at the corner of his eye.
Pulling his wife close to him, Philip placed a gently kiss on her temple and felt himself relax just a little by having her so close to him. Philip kept his arms tightly wrapped around Belle's petite body as he said, "I love you so much. You know that I would do anything for you, right? I mean it, Belle, I would do whatever it took to make sure that you and Katrina were safe and happy."
Belle rested her head on Philip's chest and replied with teary eyes, "I know that, Philip. Growing up, that's the one thing my father would never let me forget. Family is everything. And, I would do anything to protect my family, too. Anything."
And, she had - by killing Jan Spears.
